Blow-out device for oil wells



Nov. 27, 1928.

B. S. MINOR BLOW-OUT DEVICE FOR OIL WELLS Filed June y 9, 192e 2Sheets-Sheet 1 All ' Nov.. 27, 192s. 1,693,039

B. S. MINOR BLOW-OUT DEVICE FOR OIL WELLS Filed,l June s. 196 2sheets-sheet 2 ATTORNEY.

` Patented Nov. 211.1928.

-UNITED sixrias `MTENT OFFICE.

mm1' s. MINOR, OrisAN Panno, CALIFORNIA, 'Assieiroa'ro REGAN. FORGE aENGI- NEERING COMPANY, F SAN PEDRO,l

FOBNIA. i

. animation med June 9,

This invention relates to a packing mechaf' nism for packing olf tubularoil well members within a casin head. J

In oil well operations it oftentimes becomes necessary to pack olf wellcasing, drill pipe, oil well tubing, and the like, when the tribularpipes become stuck in the well and the operators are unable to move thesame upwardly or downwardly to release then 1. It

has beenthe practice under such conditlons to pump water, oil, orsemi-fluid mud of a light consistency into the well to loosen themember. Such operations while generally satisfactory in theaccomplishment of the loosening operation, are sometimes vfraught withconsiderable danger from unexpected blow-outs, due mainly to a dilutionof the heavymud laden water that is generally employedin drillingoperations' to restrain the gas and oil pressures. Further, W'henit isundesirable to move oil well tubing or casingthat has become frozen,especially` when pumping oil, water or light mud laden water to loosenthe same, the' detachable packing member may be quickly introducedwithin the head around thev tubular member to pack the same in gas tightrelation thereto, and thus. lcontrol unexpected blow-outs, again whenthe oil tube, casing, drill pipe or kelly becomes' frozen (stuck orsanded up) a slight vertical movement will oftentimes enable thedrillers to shake loose, especially when such operations are accompaniedby a circulation of a luid,`butas heretofore noted such circu-l lationsoftentimes'are accompanied by unexpected blow-Outs. '1

By the employment of my improved blowout device oil well tubing, casing,drill stem or similar tubular members may be quickly packed of withinthe head, or the packing member may be expanded to such an extent thatthe members maybe moved frictionally with-in the paokin member,h andthus minimize the danger O blow-outslaf slight turn of the ackingexpanding memberusually being su cient to tightly packthe member to lthe head.

It is therefore an/important object of my invention to provide a casinghead packing mechanism, whereby it will be possible toop-y CALIFORNIA, ACORPOBATI N 0F CALI- BLOW-OUT DEVICE FOR OIL WELLS. v

1926. Serial No. 114,804.

erate various tubular members within a well without interferencetherefrom, and in which the expansible packing member may be readilyintroduced therein when it is desired to pack the member in fluid tightengagement in the well.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds, reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich YFig. 1 is a central vertical section of the'. device attached to theupper end of a string of well casing, the packing mechanism. being in.an unexpanded position. .l

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pack- 8.5 ing mechanism expandedto'pack the tubular member mounted therein.

Fig. 3 isa top plan view showing the packing mechanism locked in thecasing head.

Fig. 4: is a top planl view showing lthe packing mechanism in anunlocked position.

Fig. 5 is atransverse section taken on line 5&5, of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction indicated by the arrows thereon;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction indicated by arrows. l

Fig. 7 is al central vertical section through the casing head showin therelation of the guide lugs on the locking ring to the lug seats on thecasing head.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the detachable l threaded rin member ofthe packing expanding mec ianism.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the packing mechanism showing the hingeconstruction.

' Fig. 10 is a plan View` of the same. f

Fig. 11 is a sectional detail of the locking ring Operating andretaining means.

In an embodiment of the invention herein disclosed 10 designates atubular casing head. provided with the usual vented openings 11, A12,adaptedto be secured to the upper end of a string of well casing. Abovethe vents is formed an annular bevelled seat 13, for the 95' receptionof the expansible packing ring cony struction that will be more. fullydescribed hereinafter. The upper end of the casing head around itscircular edge is. provided with a plurality of outwardly extending seg-100 mental lugs 15, equally spaced apa-rt adapted to be engaged bysimilar inwardly projecting v'lugs 16, formed'on the circular flange 17,of

a fiat detachable locking ring 18. 'Ihe lugs 16 pass between the lugs 15on the casing head when the ring is secured thereon, and as thelugs/16am disposed below the plane of the lugs 15'it will be apparentthat when the ring is rotated to bring its lugs into register with thelugs on the Casing that the ring will be locked against verticalmovement. Formed around the inner circular edge o f locking ring 18 area plurality of segmental lugs 19 equally spaced apart designed toengage, when the ring 18 is rotated to locked position, V

26 and a lower metal ring 27, each formed of' a pair of substantiallysemi-circular members 28, 29, -30, 31 respectively. The oppositelydisposed faces of both rings are convexed and engage the concaved facesof a packing ring 35formed of an expansible material, such as rubber,and consisting of two semcirc'ular members, as shown in Fig. 6', all themembers of the packing ring are secured together by means of bolts 36whose threaded ends engage the threaded apertures kformed in the members28, 29, of the upper metal ring 26,"and as the bores of the expansiblering 35, and lower ring 27 are of greater diameters than the bolts, itwill be clearithat on avdownward pressurev on the ring construction thatthe expansible member will be expanded laterally. Bolt 37 passes throughan aperture in oneend of ring segment 31, and engages a threadedaperture in one end of ring segment 28 in order that the members of allring section may be swung apart on the pivoted bolt 37, as shown indotted' lines in Fig.

10, to engage a tubular object, such as an oil tube 38 that may besuspended within the well and casing head.

In order to expand the packing ring into a "fluid tight engagement withthe casing head and the oil pipe 38 or other tubular object, a

I' short sleeve 40 having an exteriorly threaded I lowerend is provided.This sleeve engages the internally threaded ring 2l, its lower endengaging the upper surface of the metal ring member 26 of the expansiblepacking con,

struction, whereby When the sleeve 40 is roytated downwardly by means ofthe handles 41 secured thereto the split expansible ring 35 ,will beexpanded laterally into uid tight engagement with the interior surface`of the s heretofore noted in the brief descrip-A tion7 of the invention,the packing ring may be expanded to any desired degree from a slightfrictional engagementwith the oil tubing to an expansible packing fit.As the internal diameter of the sleeve 40 is the same as thel innerdiameter of the casing it will be possible to freely utilize drillingtools within the well by simply removing the split packingtringconstruction, this operation being accomplishedby simply rotating thelugs `of the-locking ring 18 out of engagement'with the lugs `oftheinternally threaded ring. fThe ring-and the sleeve 40 attached theretomay then be raised vertically and the expansible packing ring'may thenbe easily removed from the head. Y

In order to facilitate rotary movements of the locking ring 18 and thethreaded sleeve 40, each are provided with a pair of operating handlesell, 42, respectively. The inner ends 43 of handles 42 project beyondthe inner 1 peripheral surface of the flange 17 of the locking ring-18,and engage apair of the lugs 15 on the casing head when the ring isrotated to an unlocked position to prevent an accidental detachment ofthe ring from the head when the packing ring construction is withdrawntherefrom.

The lugs 44 having inclined surfaces that are formed on the uppersurface of the locking ring are designedto guide the lugs 20 on thethreaded ring 21 into their seats 22 when mto the casing head.

What I ,claim is: l. In a blow out device for oil wells, a

lvented casing head member adapted to be detachably secured to the upperend of a well casing, a Vpacking. ring seated in the head above thevented openings, an internally threaded ring seated in the head abovethe packingring, means formed on said ring for preventing a rotarymovement of the saine an externally. threaded sleeve engaging thethreaded 'ring and bearing against the pack- -ing ring toexpand the samelaterally, and a locking ringsecured to the headfto maintain thethreaded ring against vertical movement. 2.v In the blow out device foroil wells, a

the packing expanded mechanism is lo'wered.

vented casing head member adapted to be casing, said casing head shavingan internal seat directly above thevented Openings, a packing 'rlngdisposed on the internal seat 'detachably secured to the upper end of aWell 100 of the packing head, the upper internal wall of said casinghead being provided with a plurality ,of V-shaped seats, an internallythreaded ring having a plurality of V-shapped lugs on itsperipheralsurface adaptedto engage the V-shaped seats of the packinghead, whereby to prevent rotation of the threaded ring, an externallythreaded sleeve engaging the threaded ring` and bearing against thepacking ring to expand the same laterally, and a locking ring secured tothe head to l'ock the threaded ring against vertical movement,

the upper surface of the locking ring being provided with a pluralityof' inverted vV- shaped lugsI for guiding the lugs on the casing headwhen assembling the packing expandingmechanism.

In witness that I claim the foregoin I have hereunto subscribed my namethis lOt 4day of May, ,1926.

BURT S. MINOR.

